HOW DID YOU GET FROM THE INDY RACING LEAGUE TO THE NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES? 
"I grew up down here in Georgia and grew up watching the stock cars.  When I went up north and started running USAC stuff the doors opened up to do into the Indy car series.  Now it just so happened that there have been some pretty good doors open over here.  This is a great opportunity with MRD and I couldn't have picked a better track to make my debut than Atlanta."

IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL TO GET TO THE NEXTEL CUP SERIES? 
"Not really.  I've got friends over there and they're making a good living but I kind of like when I ran the Indy cars, the schedule.  You had the off time and like the Cup cars, they're coming back here now. It just seems more laid back.  It's not what I call high maintenance.  It seems like a lot of fun.  The trucks would be fun.  Whatever I run, the trucks, Busch or if I would go to Cup, whatever it is, I just want to be successful.  I'd like to win races, run up front.  I'm not one of those guys who want to hurry up and get in the Cup series just to say that I'm a Cup driver."

YOU HAD A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN OPEN WHEEL RACING.  WHY MOVE TO NASCAR? 
"When I first got into the IRL, it was one way and there was a lot of openings for myself when I came out of USAC and a lot of my friends that were coming up, a lot of the USAC guys, and right now none of those guys are getting the opportunities.  It's really changing over there: where they're finding the drivers, where they're picking them, the sponsor part of it.  There are a lot more opportunities over here and like I said, these things are a lot of fun.  They are an absolute blast to drive.  I like being around my buddies here that I got to grow up running with."

HOW MUCH TESTING HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE TRUCK? 
"We did a shake down one day at Concord, at the little track, just to kind of let me get comfortable in the truck.  Other than that, I ran the two Indy car races here.  I told them on new tires the truck feels a lot like an Indy car here.  You're wide open and go but man, as soon as those tires start wearing out reality sets in and I'm in a big ol' beast, but it's a lot of fun."

YOU WENT OVER 200 MILES PER HOUR IN AN INDY CAR.  WILL THAT HELP YOU LEARN THE AERODYNAMICS OF THE TRUCK? 
"It's still different but it's one of those when I went out to practice and I got behind somebody and I got to feel the "aero push" or even one time I was behind a guy and felt the whole truck kind of loose downforce, it still scared me but I knew what it was.  It wasn't one of those 'Oh gosh did something break or is something going wrong.'  These things still react a lot different.  I've got a big learning curve."

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT GOING TO BE TO PIT HERE IN THE RACE? 
"I've been on pit road here before but we had a lot bigger pit boxes with the Indy cars.  Obviously right now, my number one worry is getting qualified in because we don't have one of those guaranteed spots.  From qualifying to the start of the race, that's when I'm going to be running over and over in my head is getting in and out of the pits clean, nice, and obviously not speeding.  Goal number one is that I want to make sure that the guys can roll it into the trailer after and it had all four fenders on it.  I'd love to run in the top-15.  My first time ever in a truck, if we could do that, anything better than that would be icing on the cake.   Number one I want to keep the guys happy with me.  It's a great truck today and I want to make sure we can roll it back on the trailer."

HAVE YOU NOTICED A LOT OF INTENSE RACING IN PRACTICE? 
"I'm assuming it's because it's because of this new impound rule.  I was behind Bobby Hamilton and Hornaday and they were giving each other pretty good runs out there and I'm like 'You guys run hard in practice.'  They are veterans and they know what they're doing and they know what they need to work on in practice and they are real comfortable with each other.  The more races I get the more comfortable I'll be mixing it up with them in practice.  I just want to make sure that I see the checkered.  I'm sure that I'll learn a lot in 130 laps tonight."

WHAT IS YOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR? 
"MRD has talked about running me in 10 races.  The owner is funding this out of his own pocket right now.  We're starting with 10 races and whatever we can find, sponsors come on board, they they'd like to run a lot more.  Hopefully they are as happy with me afterwards ."

DO YOU HAVE ANY LEADS ON SPONSORSHIP? 
"There are some people that have shown interest.  A lot of people are waiting to see how Atlanta goes.  Question number one is can this kid even drive a truck.  Even though we've had a couple good practices it still doesn't prove anything in race conditions.  The first time one of those veterans get up behind me and get me loose I'm sure it'll get my attention."